Richard Bloch

From BR Bullpen

Richard Isaac Bloch

Biographical Information[edit]

Richard Bloch served as the permanent arbitrator for Major League Baseball from 1983 to 1985. He obtained both his law degree and an MBA from the University of Michigan after first getting a B.A. degree from Dartmouth College, and began working as an arbitrator in 1969, while also teaching law at the University of Detroit.

He became well regarded in his profession, serving as a permanent arbitrator for the United Mine Workers, Alcoa and the United Steelworkers of America, and as the Chairman of the foreign service grievance board in the U.S. Department of State from 1977 to 1980. During his stint as baseball's principal arbitrator, one of his most salient decisions was to reduce the suspensions of two players found guilty of consuming cocaine - Willie Wilson and Jerry Martin. The two, in addition to Willie Aikens, Vida Blue and Steve Howe had been handed one-year suspensions for their involvement with the drug, but Bloch ruled in their favor when they showed that they had complied with the conditions set by Major League Baseball. They were thus able to return to the field that season.

Because of the tense climate between owners and the Players Association at the time, arbitrators tended to be caught in the middle and did not last long, no matter what their professional conduct was. It was the case for Bloch, but he continued to work in the field for many years, and was at one time an arbitrator for the National Hockey League and the National Football League. In addition to his case work, he is the author of a number of publications in the field.

He is also a professional magician.

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